The first nine-speed automatic transmission with torque converter, the 9G-TRONIC for premium vehicles, is celebrating its world premiere: equipped with the innovative power transmission, the E 350 BlueTEC is set to become one of the most fuel-efficient six-cylinder diesel models in its class.
Thanks to the high level of efficiency of the patented transmission design, NEDC fuel consumption in the E-Class is reduced to 5.3 litres of diesel per 100 km. As is typical of the brand, the transmission features outstanding comfort and barely perceptible gear changes. The E 350 BlueTEC featuring the 9G-TRONIC as standard is available to order with immediate effect. Despite the extended scope of functions, the pricing for both the Saloon and Estate models remains unchanged.
In the E 350 BlueTEC, which is available as Saloon and Estate models and comes fitted with the new 9G-TRONIC as standard, the 185 kW (252 hp) V6 diesel engine has an average NEDC fuel consumption of 5.3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres (Estate: 5.5 l/100 km), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 138 g/km (Estate: 144 g/km).
As a result, the new models with 9G-TRONIC undercut their predecessors in terms of both consumption and CO2 emissions. The higher number of gears and the broader gear ratio spread help to increase drive comfort and enable a significant enhancement to be achieved in terms of converting engine power into traction.
In the case of the 9-speed automatic transmission, the development engineers also focused on the area of "compact lightweight construction". Despite two additional gears and a maximum transferable torque of up to 1000 Newton metres, the new automatic transmission requires as little installation space as its predecessor and, in addition, is lighter. The two-piece housing design has been retained: the torque converter housing is made of lightweight aluminium, while the transmission housing with weight-optimised plastic oil pan is made of an even lighter magnesium alloy.
